Stock feeder



April 14, 1925.

E. H. GENUIT STOCK FEEDER Filed Sept. 5, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 vil ons,...

April 14, 1925. 1,533,796

E. H. GENul-r STOCK FEEDER Filed Sept. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllHi lillllil'l IIIIIIIM 61H0: nu,

Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDWARD I'I. GENUIT, OF NAPOLEON, OHIO.

STOCK FEEDER.

Application filed September 5, 1924. Serial No. 736,006.

To all whom it may concern.'

15e it known that I, EDWARD l-I. G'nNUrr, a citizen of the United States, and a rest dent of Napoleon, in the county of Henry and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Stock Feeder, which invention is fully described in the following specilication. i

ln the stock feeding distributing mechanism commonly used, the operation of the mechanism is dependent upon some performance of the stock, such as stepping or standing on a controlling element or trip, or pressing an actuating means, such as in the case of chickens, scratching, and accidently striking a cord or aI chain which causes the mechanism to release a lquantity of the feed. In some cases, provision is made for the feed to descend, and in falling, striking a` sloping surface and glancing therefrom to distribute the feed over an area of more or less width or diameter. By my invention, the feed is delivered at regular intervals in predetermined amounts, irrespective of any accidental or intentional movement of any of the stock. In the case of chicken feeding, the feed is scattered by a rotatable niember that is rotated at a high speed for a given period of time, in order that the material may be thrown at some distance, that is, over a large area, and also whereby the delivery of all material that is released each time may be insured.

In embodiments of my invention, a time regulated mechanism is provided for periodically connecting an actuating mechanism with ay dispening means, which causes the periodic distribution and which insures the entire delivery of all ofthe alloted amount of feed in each operation.

The invention may be contained in structures of different forms and still be within the purview of the novelty of my invention. To illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected astructure containing tlie invention and shall describe it hereinafter. The structure selected as an example is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a front view of a chicken feeder. Figure 2 is a view of a section taken on the line 2-2 indicated in Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a View of a section taken on the line 3-3 indicated in Fig. 2. Figure t is a diagram of the connections of parts of the mechanism used for operating the feeder. i e

rlhe feeder is provided with asuitable frame l for supporting the partsv of the mechanism. A hopper and `feed container 2 is secured in the upper end of the frame l. The hopper portion of the container directsthe feed into the chute 3, whichis provided with a pair of plates et, onefor the other of which closes the passageway through the chute 3. The plates 4 are connected to -pivoted arms 5 and also are connected to a cross bar 6, and so `as to ycause one plate 4L to close the chuteS while the other plate l is drawn from the chute 3, that is,to open the chute 3 at the` point where the said other plate islocalted;v This arrangement forms an escapementfortlie material to allow predetermined amounts of the feed to pass from the container 2. Each time that the upper platee is drawnf from the chute 3, the space of the chute 3 below the upper plate 4c and yextendingto the lower plate l is filled with the feed,"where upon the upper plate t is inserted into the Vchute and 'the lower plate e is withdrawn,

which allows the feed located below"`the upper plate l to escape and passl down through the chute 3. l

The feed is received by a suitable rotatable disc 7 having wings 8 and so that when the disc 7 is rotated, the feed will be thrown from the disc and, scattered. y rotate the disc 7 at a sufficient high speed.l it is connected to an electric motor 9.*"The circuit of the motor 9 is controlled bya switch that may be automatically operated to periodically start the motor and causel In order: to n it to operate during a definite period"of"` time, in order to insure a. wide distribution of the feed, or the switch that controls the circuit of the motor may be operatedby the stock, the construction being suclras to cause the motor to operate during a definite` period of time to cause all of the feed.de livered to the disc or other ysuitable distributing means to be scattered, or the motor may be used to regulate the quantity of feed that is supplied during succeeding short `periods of time.

ln the form of construction shown inthe drawing, the motor 9, which is suitably supported by they frame l7 is not only con-N bolt 17. The connections between the gear wheel 11 and the cross bar 6 are suoli as to cause the operation orp the escapement while the speed ot the motor 9 is increasing in its rate. and so that by the time the portions ot the feed are delivered to the disc 7 y the disc 7 is being rotated substantially atthe maxi- Vmum speed developed by the motor, which vinsures wide distribution ot the ieed and also distribution ot all ot the feed that is allowed lto escape to the disc 7.

Tlie'wheel 12, which isalso driven by the pinion 10, has re'lierably a diameter that is twice as ,great as that ot the wheel 11 and 4so that upon a semi-rotation ot the wheel y12r` the wheel 11 will be rotated around once, which will cause a single operation ot Athe escapeinent.

The wheel 12 is provided with means tor opening' the circuit of the motor upon the completion ot each halt re\f'olution ot the wheel 12. The circuit ot the motor is closed by a switch that is operated in any'desiret manner. In the torni ot construction shown, it is operated by means ot a periodically operated mechanism that may be broadly described as a clock mechanism. The clock 18 is suitably secured to the frame 1 and is provided with a contact 19. rlhe contact19 may be connected to the minute arbor ot the clock and as to -n alte contact with one or more pairs ot contacts, such as the contacts 2O and 21,*fwhich are so located as to cause the circuit connected tothe contacts 2O and 21 to be closed every halt hour. The contacts 2OA and 21 are supported on an insulating bar 22 and are electrically connected in the motor circuitcither in parallel o1' in opposite sides ot the circuit, means being provided in the particular arrangement shown for closing,` one branch ot the circuit in advance ot the closing' oit another branch of the circuitj and so that the. motor will start when the said other branch ot the circuit is closed. 1n order to close the branches of the circuit ot the motor, and also to open the circuit ot the motor, a means is con nected to the motor which will be operated 4substantially'semi-circular in torni and in- V-sulatmgly secured to the wheel 12, as by the insulating` disc 25, that is secured tothe wheel and the Yscrews that secure the seg-k ment 2e to the disc. A plate 26 preferably ot insulating material is supported at the rear or" the wheel 12 and as to tace the side` ot the wheel. 27 extend through the plate 2S and are pressed by means ot the springs 29 towards the wheel 12 and so as to make contact either with the segmental contact 241 or the insulatingdisc In the torni oit' construction shown, the contacts 27 and 28 are arranged in pairsJ two pairs ot the contacts being provided to correspond with the two pairs ot contacts 20 andv 21 that are closed by the contact 19 ot the c-loclt mechanism. As shown in the diagram7 one terminal ot the motor is connected to one ot the contacts 20 and to one of the contacts 27. The other ot the contacts 20 and 27 are connected with the source ot current, while the other terininal ot the motor is connected to one ot the contacts 21 and one ot the contacts 28, and the other ot the said contacts 21 and 28 being connected tov the source ot current. The arrangement ot the contacts 27 and 28 and the segmental contact 2l is such that one ot the pairs o t contacts 20 and 21 is short circuited by one ot the pairs ot contacts 27 and 28, and when the contact 19 .closes the circuit between the'other ot the pairs oit' contacts 2O or 21, the circuit through the motor is clos y the currentpassing through the pair ot' contacts 27 and 28that is closed by the contact 211. Baring' the operation ot the motorv the segment 24ris rotated. and one ot the pairs ot contacts 27 and 28 is opened, while the other pair ot" coi'itacts is closed. T his last-named pair however, being on the saine side or leg ot the circuit that the contac 2Ol or 2l, are located ein that lirst started the motor, the motor will discontinue its operations, but the inertia ot the motor and the parts connected tl'ierewith will carry the s eenient 24e into Contact with the pair ot cfmtacts, and thus establish a `good connection tor the subsequent completion ot the circuit by oneror the other ot the contacts 20er 21. In order to overcome the inertia ot the motor, the wings 8 located on the discs 7 may be made so as to have consideu able width7 and consequently some resist,- ance ot the air will be atl'orded'and will slow the motor down. Also the lrictionot the contacts 27 and 28 that `are pressed against the Jraces of the discs and `m`ent`24 causes the motor to come to a stop Spring pressed contacts ffii) tta) started. Thus in each case the escapement performs a single back and forth movement to allow the allotted amount of t-he feed to pass to the disk 7 and be scattered by rotation of the disk.

The mechanism, particularly the motor, the Wheels and the'clock, may be enclosed in a suitable sheet metal compartment formed by the Walls 30.

I claim l. In a stock feeder, asource of current, an electric motor, a feed escapementoperated by the motor, a. distributing member actuated by the motor, a clock for completing the circuit of the motor and a controlling means for discontinuing the operati-on of the motor. i

2. In a. stock feeder, a source of current, an electric motor, a feed escapement operated by the motor, a distributing member actuated by t-he motor, a clock for completing the circuit of the motor and a cont-rolling means operated by the motor for discontinuing the operation of the motor.

In a stock feeder, a feed escapement,

lmeans for distributing the feed, and an electric motor for operating the escapement and the distributing means.

il. In a. stock feeder, a feed escapement, means for distributing the feed, an electric mot-or for operating the escapement and the distributing means, and a clock mechanism for periodically starting the motor.

In a stock feeder, a feed escapenient, means for distributing the feed, a circuit breaker, and an electric motor for operating` the said escapement, the distributing means and the circuit breaker.

6. In a stock feeder, a feed cscapement, means for distributing the feed, a circuit breaker, an electric motor for operating the said escapement, t-he distributing means and the circuit breaker, and a clock mechanism for closing the circuit 0f and starting the motor.

7. In a stock feeder, a feed escapement, a feed distributor, a source of current, a motor operating the feed escapement and the Vfeed distributor', a clock mechanism for controL ling` the motor, meansy for connectingr the source o-f current with one terminal of the motor through `the clock mechanism and means for connecting the other terminal of the motor with a source of current.

S. In a stock feeder, a feed escapement, a feed distributor, a. source of current, a motor operating the feed escapement and the feed distributor, means for controlling the motor,

means for connecting the source of current with one terminal of the motor through the clock mechanism and means for connecting` the other terminal of the motor With a source of current.

9.- In a stock feeder, a feed escapement, a feed distributor, a motor for operating the feed escapement and the -feed distributor, a source of current and branch circuits connected thereto, a means locatedV in one branch for completing the circuit to sta-rt the motor and means located at another branch for opening the circuit to stop the mot-or.

10. In a stock feeder, a feed escapement, a feed distributor, a motor for operating the feed escapement and the feed distributor, a source of current, branch circuits connected to the said source and to the terminals of the motor, a means for closing a branch of the circuit located on eac-h side of the motor to start the motor and means for opening a branch of the circuit located on each side of the motor to stop rthe motor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD H. GENUIT. 

